Through the looking glass - The Union

People who use drugs are portrayed in movies and books as ;drug users' or 'junkies'- 'victims' or 'scammers'. Often it is unrealistic or simplistic and one sided. As a person who uses drugs I often am horrified at the 'subtext' of many plots and have decided to write reviews of my Favourite and not so Favourite Movies, characters and docos.
To whet your appetite lets start off with the Canadian award winning Documentary titled;

The Union - The Business behind getting high.

One of my favourites because not only does it start off with Cannabis 101 but because it gets the audience looking at the BIG picture. Like .. Who wants to keep cannabis illegal? and How many people actually make a living from the illicit drug trade? And.... Why is it illegal in the first place?
I recommend you watch it but for the truly lazy people here is a break down of a few important points.
  • Hemp was one other largest agricultural crops in America until 1883
  • The first Cannabis law was enacted in Jamestown Colony Virginia and it was "to grow more Hemp"
  • Benjamin Franklin used Hemp to start the first paper mill
  • The 1st 2 Copies of the Declaration of Independence were written on Hemp
  • In Feb 1938 an article in Popular Mechanics titled 'New billion dollar crop" claimed it had over 5000 textile uses from its fibre and 25,000 from its cellulose
Cannabis and its byproducts marijuana and hemp have been in and out of favour ever since.
 I think an industrial hemp revolution is exactly what the environment needs. Obviously it was made illegal because it threatened the cotton industry and now it is about race and power and illegal billions.
Anyone who says its not is a LIAR.